Nail distributing and loading apparatus



Nov. 20, 1951 E. c. ELDRED, JR 2,575,336

NAIL DISTRIBUTING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1948 2 SHEETS-I-SI-IEET 1 NOV. 20, 1951 c ELDRED, JR 2,575,336

NAIL DISTRIBUTING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 fin/snfor Edwin CE/a rea J Patented Nov. 20, 1951 NAIL DISTRIBUTING AND LOADING APPARATUS Edwin C. Eldred, Jr., Wenham, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey 1 Application December 17, 1948, Serial No. 65,849

5 Claims.

. This invention relates to nail distributing and loading apparatus for use with a nail distributor such as are disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 65,863, filed De.- cember 17, 1948 in the name of Wallace M. Cutler, et a1. 7 The present invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate. one embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration, and said invention being set forth in. the following description and claims. l

"In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly broken away and partly in section,- showing. portions of loading mechanism of an illustrative heel attaching machine and portions of an illustrative associated nail distributor;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the forward portion of the nail distributor illustrating the operation of mechanism for rendering a nail roll of the distributor ineffective;

' Fig. 3 is a plan view showing portions of the. loading mechanism of the heel attaching .machine; and l Fig.4 is a perspective viewof a clip for closing ofi raceways of the distributor. The illustrative nail distributor comprises a carrier 20 having'a plurality of raceways 22 and nailways 24 down which nails 26 are fed in succession in response to vibration or oscillation of the carrier by mechanism such as disclosed in said application Serial No. 65,868. Journaled inthe carrier 20 at the lower ends of the nailways 24 is a nail roll 28 having a plurality of pas-. sages 30, said roll when the distributor is at rest being arranged in the position shown in Fig.1, the nails 26 extending through the passages of the roll and engaging a nail stop 32 mounted upon a front gate 34 which may be secured in different angularly adjusted positions to the carrier by a latch 36 (Fig. l). The nail roll 28 is swung between a rest or nail'receiving position shown inFig. 1, in which the passages 30 of the roll are in alinement with the lower ends of the nailways 24, and a dumping position in which the roll is rotated counterclockwise from its position shown in said Fig. 1 to permit the nails to slide downsaid passages into conduits 38 (Fig. 2) formed between the main portion of the carrier and the front gate 34 which constitutes a front portion of the carrier.

'secured in slots 40 (Fig. 2)"o'f, the carrier 20 at the lower ends of the conduits 38 are tubes 42 the lower ends of which are housed in sleeves, 44 (Fig. 1) having tapered lower ends inserted in passages 46 of a foot plate 48 below which positioned a nail guiding unit 50 commonly referred to as a beer mug. Upper ends of tubes 52 of the nail guiding unit 55 are in alinement with selected passages 46 of the foot plate 48 and the lower ends of the tubes 52 enter passages 54 of the footplate, said passages54 being arranged in a pattern identical with a pattern'of nail pas sages 55, (Fig. 1) of a loader block 56 (Figs. Q 1 and 3) which is mounted upon an arm 58 and; during a portion of a cycle of operation of the heel attaching machine, dwells beneath the 50 to receivenails discharged head ends down from the nail roll 28 g g When the heel attaching machine is'at 'rest the loader block 56 is in a raised dash-line posi-: tion shownin Fig. 1 ready to be swung durin the first part of the next cycle of the machine; together with its arm 58,'c lockwise'as shown in Fig. 3 or to the left as shown in Fig. l, in response to rotation of a vertically splined shaft 60, the loader block when at the extreme end of said clockwise movement dwelling above a nailing die (not shown) of the heel attachingmachine for a period of suflicient duration to enable it to discharge nails. When a nail retaining s'hutter 62 (Fig. 1) pivoted upon the under side of the loader block then positioned above the nailing die has been swung from beneath said block nails fall head ends down from the passage 55 ofsaid block into the nail receiving passages (not shown) of the die, in which passages nail drivers (not shown) of the machine travel. The load"- er block carrying arm 58' is then swung counter: clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, back to itspos'iti'on shown in Fig. 3, or to theright as viewed in Fig. 1, in response to rotation of the shaft 60, to its dash line position shown in Fig. 1 and is thereafter lowered with said shaft and swung into a position, in which the loader block 56 is arranged beneath the ,unit 50. When the loader block; 56 arrives in its proper position below the unit 569.

spring actuated shutter 64 carried by said unit. is released, with the result that nails then in said;

unit drop into the holes or passages 55 of the. loader block. After a shortdwell below the .unit;

50, the loader block arm 58 is swung to theleft: (Fig. 1) from beneath the unit 50 and is then raised with the shaft 60 to its dash line starting position shown in Fig. 1 where it remains at rest until-the heel'attachingmachine starts "its next-cycle.

- when the-loader block carrying arm-1638 3 swung clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, from its rest position shown in these figures a plate 66 secured by screws 68 to said arm engages a latch I which is pivotally mounted upon a pin I2 carried by a rod I4 slidingly mounted in a base I6 of the distributor and moves the rod to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 against the action of an initially loaded torsion spring I8 (Fig. 1) which will be referred to later. The rear end of the rod I4 is threaded into an arm 80 pivoted to the lower end of a lever 82 secured by a screw 84 to a pin 86 fulcrumed in the base I6 of the distributor. The upper end of the lever 82 has pivoted to it anarm 88 into which is threaded a rod 90. The lever 82 and accordingly the rod I4 are normally retained in their positions shown in Fig. 1 by the torsion spring 18 one end of which is secured to the pin 86 and the other end Of, .Which is secured to the base 16, movement of the; rod under the action of the spring 86 being limited by the engagement of a shoulder 92 (Figs; 1 and 3-) of the rod with the base I6.

The rear end of the rod-90 engages a cylindrical bore 94 of a block 96 which is secured-by ascrew 98' tothe left end (asviewed from the front of the machine) of a pivot pin I00 journaled in the base 16 or the'machine. The block 80 comprises a frusto-con'ical bore I02 extending into the cylindrical bore 94 and-forminga shoulder I04 with said here. Secured to the pivot pin I00 is a depressor I06 which is constructed and arranged to be engaged by a :pawl I08 forming part ofa one revolution clutchmot shown) which is housed in a cam'I I0 (Figs. land- 2') mounted on a continuously rotated sh'aftl I2. The block "is normally biased toa rest position against a stop I14 secured to the base '16, by a torsion spring I16 one end of which is secured to the pin I00 and-the other end of which is secured to the base 16'. 'When'the rod 90 is moved to the right (Fig. I) in response to movement ofthe leader block arm 58, the block 96 is rota-ted clockwise upon its pivot pin"I00"a-gainst the action of the torsion spring H6 with the result that the pawl I08 actuated by a spring-pressed plunger (riot shown) causes the clutch to be engaged and the cm to rotate 360 together with the'shaft I12. 'The cam IIO "has a front face Ila-which during a portion of the cycle'of operation of the machine is engaged by a roll I20 carried bythe lower endoi" an arm I22'secured by-a screw I24- to a pivot pin-I26 fulcrumedin the base-I6. Alsosecured to the pivot pin I26 is an upstanding arm I20 operatively connected by an adjustable rod I30 to an arm I32 secured to a lefttrunnion portion ofthe nail roll 28 which" is fulcrumed in bores I34 of the carrier 20. When the machine i's-idle (Fig. 1 a screw I ZQthreaded into-an arm I31 secured to the nail-'roll-28'is'forced against'a step I35 (Fig. 2), secured-to the carrier 20-, by a spring I36 one end of which is attached to the.

arm I28 and the other ehd of which. i fixed. to the base 15. Securedtothepivot. pin: I 00 is: a. housing I38 inwhichis mounted a sprin -pressed, plunger I40 constructed and arranged to override a shoulder I42 of the arm when. the depressor I06. is swung clockwise (Fig. 1) away from the pawl I08, thereby insuring. that; the. depressor shall not, spring back into. its. position. shown inFig. .1 until thecam: 0 has rotatedpastthe depressor. 7 g The-latch 1a whi h: is; ful r med pon: e pin 12 mounted upon the rod 74 is normally hel'd in.

its-nos ti n illu trate fi S .l-..and 3.1a pin 144 4 (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by the latch being forced against said rod under the action of a spring I48 which encircles the pin I2 and one end of which is attached to the rod and the other end of which engages an inner face of the latch. As above explained, during the first part of the cycle of operation of the heel attaching machine the loader block arm 50 is swungfrom its rost-position clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 to a position above the nailing die (not shown) of the machine. Such movement of the loader block arm 58 causes the rod 14 to slide to the left (Fig. 1) in the base 16 with the result that'the rod 90 acting upon the shoulde'r I04 of the block 96 causes the pivot pin I00 and accordingly the depressor I06 to swing clock- Wise (Fig. 1) against the action of the torsion spring IIB, the spring-pressed plunger I40 over- Tiding'the shoulder I42 of the arm I22 to hold the depressor against retraction. As above explained, movement of the depressor I06 away from the pawl I08. efiects the engagement of the one-revolution clutch. which causes the cam. to move 3.60" with the shaft H2. As. the. rod swings the block 9.6. clockwise (Fig. 1) it. slides over the shoulder I04 of the block and: through the frusto-conic'al opening I02, said. rod immediately sliding. back. to a retracted positionin the. cylindrical bore 94 under theaction. of the. tor sion spring 18. until theshoulder 52 of. the rod I4 engages thebase'IG.

As the loader block arm-58. swings counter-'- clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 back to its posh tion shown in Fig. 3, or to the. right as viewedLin Fig. 1,. preparatory to. being lowered upon-the shaft 60, the. plate. 56' overrides. an. outer surface I48. (Fig. 3'). of the latch, causing said latch to. swing uponthe. rod I4 against the. action. of the. spring I46 to permit the plate to assumeits position behind. the latch. 'When the-cam lI.0. rotates through one: revolutionv it swings; the nail; roll I34 counterclockwise. (Fig. 11- against. the ac tion of the spring. I35; causing. said rolltorotate. from its nail receivingposition shown in Fig.1 1 in which. its. passages; 30 are.- in. alinement. with. the nailways 24, to its nail dumping;..positibrr where it dwells, the nail; rbll. then moving back under the action of. the spring I36 to: its initial position, A the arm. I22. rotates clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 the inclination of the shoulder I42 issuch that thetorsion spring H16 which con-1 tinuously: urges the pivot pin I00 clockwise; (Fig. 1) overcomes the. resistanceor. the spring -pressed plunger I'40,. causing. it to. be. retracted. and the; depressor I06. carried. by the pin to; bemoved to. it v pawl engaging. position. against: the stop- 1-14. The depressor I05; in engagement with1 the stop. I.I4 is-..engaged by the'pawl; I081 justhbeforethee cam H0. completes onerevolutionthereby cause.- ing said, clutch. to be disengaged and: the cam. to.

cometorest.

In the use of the. above; apparatus; it is. nec-- essary in operating upon shoes: of different-sizes. and/or styles to; substitute'for the: nailsin the. distributor nails of adifierent size orstyle. This. entails stopping a nail drum (not shown) ofthe distributor and knocking nails'from the. race.- ways, 22 and nailways 24 of. the, carrier 20 back; into the nail, drum and also removing the hails. from the passages 30 ofthe nail roll I34 andifrom.

' the passages 55 of the loader blockifi. then-.inlits'.

restposition shown in. dashlihes.iri-Eig l. "l1" remove nails, and especially .nai l sl;.lwhich i are; short, fromthe nail roll.,2k'.and"f roni the; auto-' maticaily operated. lcfiadr block 'gof'f the. above? mentioned machine requires considerable .time and usually results in many of "the nails bein spilled on the floor, such nails being wasted and likely to cause accidents.

In order to avoid having manually to remove nails of the discontinued size and style from the nail roll 28 and the loader block 56, there is pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin 86 at the left side of the distributor as viewed from the front, a lever or stop I50 (Figsl and 2) having at its forward end a laterally extending handle I52. The leverI50 is normally arranged in its inactive dash line position shown in Fig. 2', a recess I54 of the lever at such time receiving a projecting detent I56 secured tothe base 16 to retain the lever in its inactive or ineffective position. The balance of the lever I50 is such that when the lever is moved counterclockwise (Figs. 1 and 2) from its ineffective position and is thus released from its detent, it tends to swing counterclockwise.

When the heel attaching machine is at rest and one pair of shoes of a particular run are yet to be heeled and the next run of shoes requires nails of a different size or style, the operator swings the lever I50 counterclockwise from its inactive dash-line position, the lever after being released continuing to move counterclockwise until it engages a lug I58 secured to the upstanding arm I28 which is then in its position shown in Fig. 1. Also secured to the lever I28 is a lug I60 which, although it is shown as spaced from the lug I58, may be considered as part of the lug I58, the lugs I58, I60 being referred to as an angular lug. During the next cycle of operation of the machine the loader block 56 is swung to a position over the nailing die (not shown) causing, through the above described mechanism, the rod 90 to move the block 96 clockwise (Fig. 1) and the depressor I06 to move away from the pawl I 08 of the one-revolution clutch with the result that said clutch is engaged to eifect a 360 rotation of the cam IIO together with the constantly rotating shaft II2. Rotation of the' cam IIO causes the lever I28 to swing rearward against the action of the spring I36. As the arm I28 swings rearward the lever I50, which is balanced to swing counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. l, engages a forward edge of the lug I58. When the arm I28 has reached its rearward position where it dwells to enable the nails to be dumped from the passages 30 of the nail roll 28, the upper rear end of the lever engages the lug I58 and as the lever moves forward under the action of the spring I36 the lug I60 engages the rear end of the lever with the result that the lever stops when in the position shown in Fig. 2, the passages 30 of the nail roll when the lever is thus positioned being raised out of alinement with the nailways 24 so that nails on said nailways cannot enter the passages 30.

When there are two distributors used with the heel attaching machine the forward end of the locking lever I50 is pivotally connected by an adjustable rod I62 to a corresponding locking lever of an upper distributor (not shown), movement of the lever causing a corresponding movement of the locking lever of the upper distributor.

When the nails 26 have been collected in the nail drum (not shown) said drum is emptied and other nails which are to be used for the next run of shoes are dumped into the drum. The locking lever I50 is then swung back to its ineffective dash line position (Fig. 2) and is held in such position by the detent thereby releasing the nailroll 28 which moves under the action of the spring I36 to its nail receiving position in which its passages are in alinement with the nailways, said position being determined by the engagementof the screw I29 on the arm I3I with the stop I35. The heel attaching machine and its distributor are then operated through two cycles without any work being presented, thereby supplying nails to the loader block 56 and to the nail roll 28.

The illustrative distributor has seven raceways 22 and nailways 24 but in operating upon certain types of work fewer than seven nails are driven at a time and it is therefore desirable to close one or more of the raceways 22. In dis-.- tributors commonly in use the raceways 22 have formed in their bottoms holes (not shown) for receiving short nails which are placed in said holes and serve as abutments for stopping down.- ward sliding movement of the nails along the raceways. Such a practice is undesirable because dirt and grease frequently fill up such holes and project into the paths of movement of the nails thus interfering with their progress down the raceways. Moreover the short nails serving as stops in the holes of the raceways merely stop the nails but do not deflect them from the raceways.

In order to close one or more of the raceways 22 of the carrier 20, which raceways may be described as bar shaped and as having grooves along which nails travel, there is provided a metal stop or clip I64 which has flexible depending legs or sides with flaring lower ends, said legs when forced onto one of the raceways being constructed and arranged to spring over or straddle the sides of the raceway into its binding position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rear upper end of the stop I64 has a V-shaped ramp I68 which is constructed and arranged when the stop straddles one of the raceways, as shown in Fig. 2, to fit into said raceway at an angle to the lengthwise dimension of the raceway, thereby causing nails to be deflected out of the raceways, such nails falling through recesses (not shown) between the raceways and back into the nail drum. At the forward upper portion of the stop I64 is an upwardly extending flange or handle I10 for facilitating the removal of the clip from one of the raceways.

The nail stop or clip I64 illustrated in Fig. 4 is disclosed and claimed in a divisional application Serial No. 177,229, filed August 2, 1950.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a nail distributing and loading apparatus, nailways along which nails are fed, a plurality of conduits, a member for receiving nails from the nailways and transferring them to the conduits, mechanism for operating said member,

\ and manually operated means movable to a predetermined position to render said mechanism and accordingly said member ineifective to receive nails from the nailways after said member has transferred a load of nails to the conduits.

2. In a nail distributing and loading apparatus. nailways along which nails are fed, nail guides. a member for receiving nails from said nailways and delivering them, to said guides, a loader block for receiving nails from said guides, means mow able in response to movement of the loader block for operating said member to cause nails to be delivered to said guides and into the loader block, and manually operated mechanismfor stopping asvassc vent feeding of nails from the nailways to the suides.

3. In a nail distributing and loading apparatus, a nail roll: movable between nail receiving and nail dumping positions, a cam, a spring, means which is operated by the cam to move the roll from. nail receiving position to nail dumping position: and which. is operatedby the spring to move the roll from nailidumpingi position to nail receiving position, and a manually actuated lever. movable into an operative position, said; lever being constructed. and arranged to be engaged by said means to prevent the roll: from being moved under the action of said spring to its nail receiv= in; position.

i 4. Ina nail distributor, a plurality oinailways, a nail roll having a plurality of. passages, means for roekingsaid nail roll between a nail receiving position in which the passages are in alinement. with thevnailways and anail. dumping position fromwhich nails are dumpedfrom the nail rolls, and a manually operated. stop movable from an ineffective to an effective position for preventing movement of the nail roll to'said. nail receiving position.

5 Inca nail distributor, a, plurality of naiiways, a. nail roll having a plurality of passages. meansfor rocking said nail roll between a nail receiving position in which the passages are in alinement with the nailways and a nail dumping position from which nails are dumped from the nail roll, a manually operated stop movable from an ineffe tive to an effective position for preventing move ment of the nail roll to its nail receiving position, anda detent for holding the stop in its ineffective position.

EDWIN G. ELDRED, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record iii thefile or this patent;

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,005,303 Pope Oct. 10, 1911 1,558,451 Balcom Oct. 27, 1925 1,867,560 Benjamin July 19, 1932 1,947,768 Goddu 1 Feb. 20, 1934 2,048,108 Dramond July 21, 1936; 2,463,532 

